


Taking Care of Their Own

by Leela



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-05
Updated: 2011-12-05
Packaged: 2017-10-26 22:35:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/288635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leela/pseuds/Leela
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neville's family and friends help him deal with his mother's death.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Taking Care of Their Own

**Author's Note:**

> Written in November 2009 for Neville100 prompt #93: Neville and his men
> 
>  **Beta(s):** eeyore9990 and the slash chat folks.

"Mummy's gone, Daddy," Neville whispered. Tears ran down his face as he grasped his father's hand.

Frank Longbottom cocked his head and seemed to consider his son. A confused expression crossed his face as he patted Neville's hand. "All right," he said. "All right."

"She... she didn't..." Neville gulped and sniffed. "She was sleeping. Didn't know anything."

"All right."

Neville swiped his sleeve across his dripping nose. "It's not though. It's never going to be. I can't ever make it right."

"All right," Frank insisted.

"No, it's not."

"All right." Pulling Neville into his arms, Frank rocked him. "All right."

*

"Can you miss someone you never knew?" Neville asked.

The rocking of the ladder he stood on was his only answer.

"Hey," Neville called out. "If you can't keep it steadier than that, you can collect your own Devil's Snare."

Floating a cutting down to the basket, Neville said, "I've got a whole collection of sweet wrappers, you know. Pasted them into a scrapbook. She gave me one ev... ev'ry visit."

Finally, when the basket was full, he descended.

Snape grabbed the basket and sneered, "Don't be an imbecile, Longbottom. The woman might have been mad, but she loved you."

*

"Bloody Snape," Neville growled, reaching for another beer. "Just when you think he's a complete arse, he goes and fucks it up."

"He can't help it, mate. It's gent... genit... the way he is," Ron said, stuffing chips into his mouth.

"Severus cares. He's just got his own way of showing it." Harry smiled.

Ron snorted.

Halfway through his beer, Neville asked, "He could be right, though, Snape?"

"He was right," Harry assured him. "She gave her life for you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." Harry slid his arm across Neville's shoulders.

"Damn right." Ron said, offering Neville the last of his chips.

*

"Fucking sunshine," Neville grumbled, yanking the covers over his head. "Could at least have the decency to be overcast today."

"Sun doesn't have any decency," George said, shutting the curtains. "Fred taught me that."

Neville groaned. His head pounded. His tongue was coated with something vile. Why hadn't he held the wake after the funeral?

Pulling back the covers, George held out a phial. "Hangover potion. You need to look your best this morning."

"I don't know how to do this."

"Yeah, you do." George hugged him. "Me and you, we can't do anything but take care of our own."

*

Neville's and his gran's friends filled the rows of chairs. His gran was sitting with his dad, the bird on her hat visible over everyone's heads.

His mum lay on the altar, her body wrapped in white linen.

They were waiting for him. He just wanted to curl up and cry.

A hand slipped into his; Neville turned. "I didn't think you'd come."

"She was your mother," Draco said. "And I love you."

"Me too." Gripping Draco's hand tightly, Neville walked towards the front.

When he sat down, Frank took his other hand. "All right?"

"It will be," Neville said.

~fin~


End file.
